"Tonks?" Harry tried to sit up, but promptly fell back as pain washed through him.

"I must say that I am shocked, absolutely shocked, to see such a young man so hung over. I certainly had higher expectations for a Saint."

Keeping his eyes closed, Harry let himself relax. He felt the bed shift as a body sat next to him.

"Easy there, Saint. Yep, it's me, your favourite metamorphmagus. Now, I'm going to slowly pour a potion into your mouth. Your job's not to choke." She slipped a hand behind Harry's head and gently lifted it as she poured the potion into Harry's mouth. "There you go, let's give it a couple of minutes to take affect."

"What did you give me?" Harry whispered.

"I probably should have told you that before giving it to you. It's a Headache Relief Potion, a strong one. Mrs. Weasley brewed it for you. Did you know she's now the Potion Master for the Order? She and Madam Pomfrey are working together to make up what we lost with Snape's defection. Neither have Snape's flair with potions, but then we don't have to worry about additional ingredients with unwanted side effects, so it's an even trade as far as I'm concerned. Nasty piece of work, Snape is. Remus told me what Snape did to you and what happened last night." Tonks moved to the foot of the bed and settled comfortably across from Harry. "He sends his apologies for not being here himself, but he wanted to do some research on the Teacher's Hook. He's trying to make sure that he hasn't missed anything. Sent me to watch over you while you were out. How are you feeling now?" Tonks reached forward for Harry's hands and gently pulled him into a sitting position.

"Feel like someone's squeezing my brain and poking something sharp into my eyes; and that's an improvement over how I felt a couple of minutes ago." Harry slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed and held tightly to his mattress. "Putting my feet on the ground seems to help."

Tonks laughed. "All the symptoms of a hang over without having had a drop to drink. Such a shame. Next time I'll take you drinking with me so you can end up in this condition on purpose."

"I'm so glad you find this amusing," Harry told her, "but if this is the end result of drinking with you, I think I'll pass. I don't suppose there's something else we can do for this?"

"First, into the shower with you, then some food, and I bet you'll feel just fine." She pulled Harry to his feet, bullied him down the hallway into the bathroom, and turned the shower taps on full. Waggling her eyebrows she teased, "Do you need help getting undressed?"

"No!" Harry backed away, turning beet red.

"Shame," Tonks sighed. "I suggest you just hang out in the water until you feel a bit more human." As she sauntered by, Tonks casually reached out and pinched Harry's bum. "Give me a yell if you need anything." With a wink, she closed the door leaving Harry to contemplate the nature of women.

Shaking his head, he climbed into the shower and let the water wash over him. As the pain faded, he found his mind surprisingly clear. He felt more relaxed than he had since before the battle at Hogwarts. After the shower, he quickly towelled himself off and pulled his trousers back on. Back in his room, he found Tonks lounging at his desk thumbing through the latest issue of The Quibbler. "Feel better?" she asked.

"Much," Harry replied. "I take it that potion had more to it than just pain relief."

Tonks smiled. "A mild Peace Draught in addition to the pain killer. Molly figured you could use it." As she gave Harry a once over she added, "If I had a camera I could make piles of Galleons selling a picture of you half naked and dripping wet."

Harry flushed from his ears to his navel, grabbed a shirt, and threw in on. Tonks' smile grew even wider. "You do realize your shirt is backwards and inside out?" Getting up, she quickly crossed the room and mussed up Harry's hair. "Saint, you are just too easy."

"And you are truly wicked!"

"Well, I'm outta here, Harry. You look like you'll live and I need to get to work. Don't forget to eat a healthy meal or Molly'll have my head. Remus wants to drop by later, but I'm not sure he'll make it." With one last wink, Tonks turned and left the room.

"Thanks, Tonks!" Harry called to the retreating sounds of Tonks descending the stairs.

As he dressed, Harry planned his day. He knew that he had a lot to organize and prepare. Ironically, number four Privet Drive would make a good place from which to work. So long as the wards were in place, and they should be until his birthday, he should be safe. He just needed to deal with the Dursleys and ensure that they wouldn't interfere with what he had to accomplish. With that in mind, he went down to make breakfast. He found his aunt cleaning the stove. Staying out of her way, he pulled the makings of a simple breakfast from the refrigerator. Harry ignored the contemptuous look his aunt gave him as he quietly finished his meal. As he cleaned the remains of his breakfast, ensuring that not a crumb was left out, he asked Petunia a question. "I assume Uncle Vernon will arrive home at the usual time?"

Aunt Petunia looked over at him. "Yes. We will have dinner at the regular time. Why?"

"I have something to discuss with both of you."

"I can't wait," Aunt Petunia sniffed as she left the room.

Harry smiled to himself as he thought about what he would tell the Dursleys that night. It would hardly make up for sixteen years of mistreatment, but he was looking forward to saying things that were long over due. After so many years of festering anger, Harry knew that he would have to be careful not to let his emotions get the best of him.

After one last glance around the kitchen, he made his way back to his room. He settled himself and contemplated what he might need to accomplish his quest. Pulling out a sheet of parchment, he started a list of preparations.

Would it be possible for you to come by here one evening soon? I'm hoping we can go over some things with regard to your new duties. Don't worry about my relatives. I'm planning a long talk with them tonight. I don't think that they'll be a bother after that.

Also, if Ron hasn't taken his Apparition exam yet, do you think you could take me for mine at the same time as his? The sooner I get that out of the way, the better.

I wanted to take this chance to thank you for all the things you have done for me. You welcomed me into the Burrow and treated me like your seventh son since the first moment we met. You both taught me what family means and I'm thankful for all the time I've had with you.

Love,

Harry

He read over the letter, folded it neatly, and placed it in an envelope. Then he pulled out another sheet and started on a second letter.

Mate!

How are the Cannons and your mum's cooking? One better than the other, I'm sure. When are you going to start following a real team? I think our Gryffindor squad could take them.

Would you do two things for me? First, start teaching Hermione how to really fly. Yes, I'm serious. Yes, she will do it. Just use that famous Weasley charm, God knows I have trouble resisting it. I don't want us to end up in a pinch where we need to fly and she can't. Don't tell her, but I'll get her a broom that should fit her style. I suggest you make the lessons very hands on.

The second thing I'd like you to do is start thinking about tactics and strategies. Try to envision different scenarios we might encounter and different ways of getting out. Get the twins involved if you want, but try to keep them in the dark as much as you can.

Ron, thank you for always being there for me. I've been a right pain in the arse more times than I can count, yet you're still there for me. I couldn't have asked for a better friend.

Yours,

Harry

Before he started on the third note, Harry pulled out his old Charms textbooks. It took a couple of hours, but he eventually worked out a way to charm the parchment so only Ginny could read it.

Dear Ginny,

He stopped and stared at the parchment. He thought of the times that they had spent together. It had been some of the most carefree time he'd ever had at Hogwarts. Looking back, he could now see that she had never made any demands on him. Ginny never asked about his time with Dumbledore or pressured him to reveal any of his secrets. Her trust had been a balm for his harried existence. Without her, he felt as if he had lost his grounding and was more unbalanced than ever.

It's difficult to believe it hasn't even been a week since I last saw you at the funeral. I'm not sure what possessed me to break up with you. Actually, that isn't true. I was, and still am, terrified to lose you to what is coming. But, Tonks pointed out that you're already in danger. Well, I still think you're in more danger being with me. And what kind of boyfriend would I be if I can't even say if I'll be there when you need me? I'm rambling, sorry. Back to the point. I shouldn't have added to your grief that day. And I should've talked to you about this instead of just breaking up with you. I'm not even sure what I accomplished other than making us both miserable. I'm assuming you aren't happy with how things stand. For all I know you've decided that you're well shot of me. I know I've made a mess of things. But I hope that you'll allow me to talk things over with you. It's what I should've done in the first place.

Yours always,

Harry

He sat back and reread the letter several times. With a grimace, he decided that it couldn't make thinks worse, folded it into Ron's letter and called Hedwig over. "The blank sheet inside Ron's letter is for Ginny. Make sure Ron gives it to her. Hurry back, girl, I'll have more for you later." With a low affirmative hoot, Hedwig launched herself out the window. Harry followed her flight until she was lost in the distance.

Dinner-time arrived all too quickly that day. Harry hurried down to the kitchen and settled himself in the seat next to his odious uncle. The chair across groaned in protest as Dudley sat down. Harry nodded at Dudley in greeting, but unsurprisingly, the greeting went unacknowledged. The meal began its usual routine when Aunt Petunia placed the food on the table. Harry sat back as his uncle and cousin attacked the serving bowls.

He served himself when the initial rush was over and ate slowly, watching his uncle and cousin gorge themselves. When he sensed that his uncle was winding down, Harry cleared his throat, "I have some things to discuss with all of you."

Vernon Dursley snorted as he pushed himself from the table. "Nothing you have to say is of any importance to me."

Harry smiled grimly at his uncle and in a calm, obvious manner, drew his wand. Uncle Vernon's ruddy face instantly drained of all its colour and he stuttered, "You ungrateful - you can't do magic in this house. This is my house and I'll not tolerate magic, no matter who's permission you think you have." Harry defiantly mouthed an incantation and flicked his wand directly at his uncle. Vernon's chair lunged forward into the backs of his knees and he crashed involuntarily onto the seat.

Harry stood slowly, wand casually between his fingers. He took a moment to look at each member of his 'family,' ensuring that he had their undivided attention. "I've waited and dreamt about this moment for sixteen long years," Harry growled.

Aunt Petunia gasped and reached out protectively to Dudley. "How dare you threaten us? We took you in. We gave you a home-"

"You took me in," Harry interrupted fiercely, "and gave me shelter. You provided nothing like a 'home.'" His voice trembled in anger. "You never once cared for me, never once showed any affection. You shoved me in the cupboard under the stairs. You showered me in ridicule; dressed me in clothes that never fit; neglected and humiliated me in so many ways." Harry could feel his magic roiling, barely contained. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "It is well within my ability to exact revenge."

Dudley tried to push himself away from the table but only succeeded in gouging the kitchen floor. His aunt's face lost what little colour it normally had. She regarded Harry with an expression of absolute terror. Harry aimed his wand directly at his uncle's face. "And you, you are the worst of the lot. No child deserves to be treated the way you treated me. You are a monster."

Uncle Vernon found his voice. "A MONSTER? How dare you!"

Eyes flashing, Harry slammed his hands on the table and roared, "I dare because I know! I am well acquainted with evil. I've seen too much death and too much hatred. And I am here to tell you that you are the worst excuse for a human that I have ever had the misfortune to know." Seeing that his uncle was about to interrupt again Harry warned, "Open your mouth again and I will ensure your silence.

"Fortunately for all of us, I will not lower myself to the standard of the Dursley Family. I will stay my hand, not because any of you deserve mercy, but because I want to live my life on my terms. I won't let you change the way I live my life or prevent me from becoming the person I am striving to become. Push me, however, and you'll see how quickly I can even the score.

"The good news is that I plan to be here only a few more weeks. I will leave some point before my birthday." Noting Uncle Vernon's perplexed look to his wife, Harry added, "The thirty-first of July, you prat! My birthday is the thirty-first of July."

Harry paused again and ran his fingers through his hair. Calmed, he continued, "Now, this is how it will work. Until I leave, my friends and colleagues will be welcome to come and go as they please. None of you will be rude to any of my guests. Until I leave, I suggest you stay out of my way. Do that and, as usual, I won't go out of my way to disturb you. Do we understand each other?"

"You think you can just threaten us?" Vernon tried to rise menacingly but the effect was ruined when he was unable to separate his overly large posterior from his chair.

"I prefer to think of it as 'coming to an understanding.' You can think of it however you please. In a few weeks, I will be out of your lives forever. That's nothing compared to sixteen years at your mercy. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Harry turned from the table and, without a backwards glance, climbed the stairs to his room. Closing the door, he slumped against it and sank to the floor. He had enjoyed the moment, but realized that it was just that, a moment. It didn't change who he was or what he had endured. He understood that he'd have to be satisfied with this one small moment.

Smiling, he wished that Ron and Ginny could have witnessed how he dressed down his family. Pushing himself up from the ground, he walked over to his desk. Pulling out another sheet of parchment, he started his last letter of the day.

Dear Hermione,

You won't believe what just happened. I pulled my wand on my uncle. Yeah, I know you aren't happy about that. You probably want to lecture me about inappropriate use of magic. I also realise I'd be better off writing Ron about this, but I already wrote him once today. So, it's your turn to suffer my ramblings. The short version of the story is that the Ministry granted me permission to use magic. I used this opportunity to lecture my 'family' and set them straight on certain issues. Yes, they are still alive and human, though I was sorely tempted to transfigure them into pigs. Overall, I think you would've been proud at how restrained I was.

Enough about that though. I wanted to let you know that I've asked Ron to teach you how to fly. I know you know the basics. I also realise you hate flying, but this is a skill that might really save us at some point. It also can't hurt to get some one on one time with your favourite Weasley, I'm sure.

Thanks for being my friend, Hermione. We have gone through so much together and you have always been there for me. I have no idea why you've put up with me all these years. I'm eternally grateful for it.

Love,

Harry

Harry quickly folded the parchment and put in an envelope. Moving to the window, he leaned out and took a deep breath of the fresh air. A cursory glance at the sky showed him that Hedwig was nowhere to be seen yet.

Harry pulled his Occlumency book out of his trunk. Rereading the chapter on meditation, he tried to put it into practice. As before, as soon as he cleared his mind of every-day thoughts, others quickly came to the forefront. Sighing in frustration, Harry threw the book across the room. Deciding that he'd had enough, he called-it-a-day and crawled into bed.